Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District

Hon. Olivia Bentil,  District Chief Executive - Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District

Profile of DCED

Leadership of the district entered a new era with the confirmation of Hon. Olivia Bentil as the District Chief Executive (DCE) on April 15, 2025. Her historic 100% confirmation by Assembly Members speaks volumes about the confidence vested in her vision. Hon. Bentil has since championed inclusive development through sanitation-focused policies, economic revitalization, and women’s empowerment.

About Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District

The Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District, nestled in the north-central zone of Ghana’s Central Region, is a thriving agrarian district with Breman Asikuma as its administrative capital. Established through Legislative Instrument (LI) 1378 in 1988, it was carved out of the former Breman-Ajumako-Enyan District Council and today covers a land area of approximately 884.84 square kilometers—accounting for about 9% of the region’s total landmass. According to the 2021 census, the district is home to 126,993 residents, with a fairly even gender distribution and a population density of 175 persons per square kilometer.

Agriculture is the heartbeat of the local economy, with cocoa, oil palm, cassava, maize, and citrus serving as the primary crops cultivated across the district. Thanks to its fertile soils and favorable double maxima rainfall pattern—peaking in May–June and September–October—farmers are able to sustain year-round production. Fishing also holds potential, particularly in rivers such as the Ochi, while mineral-rich Cape Coast granite formations offer deposits of muscovite and quarry stone in local communities like Odoben, Kokoso, and Otabilkwa.

She previously served as the Woman’s Organiser of the NDC in the area.
She has actively launched the National Sanitation Day initiative at Breman Asikuma and pledged to implement transformative policies including the 24-Hour Economy, Nkoko Nketsenketse, and the Women’s World Bank, aimed at bolstering employment, strengthening local enterprise, and empowering female-led businesses.

Under her administration, the district continues to witness major strides in education and infrastructure. Notable Completed projects include a 6-unit classroom block at Breman Kuntanase, a new District Education Office, and a 12-unit storey classroom block for Breman Asikuma Secondary School (BASS). Boarding facilities at Brakwa Senior Technical School (BRASTEC) and Odoben Senior High School have also been finalized, vastly improving student accommodation.
Health services have advanced through the commissioning of CHPS compounds in Edumanu and Nankese, alongside advocacy for upgrading Brakwa and Bedum Health Centers to polyclinics. The district has remained proactive in public health education and pandemic response management.

On the roads front, Hon. Bentil’s administration is advancing reshaping and compacting of key routes, including the Asikuma–Baako Road, Old Habitat–Benin Road, and the Main Administration–Roman Catholic Boys School Road. Major works are also underway on the Suponso–Asikuma–Kuntanase corridor, while a new bridge is being constructed at Ochisua.
Agricultural diversification is being boosted through the Alternative Livelihood Project, distributing oil palm, coconut, and mango seedlings to farmers. The district’s involvement in the Community-led Biodiversity Improvement for Livelihood Transformation (CoBILT) initiative supports restoration of degraded lands and enhances climate resilience with nature-based solutions.

Challenges such as youth unemployment, poor sanitation, and low Internally Generated Funds (IGF) remain, but Hon. Bentil continues to collaborate with Assembly Members, traditional authorities, and civil society actors to steer the district toward inclusive and sustainable development.
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